After Class Ten - last blog

Hi everybody,

Just want to say what a great class this has been.  I know I learned a lot and am grateful when my students bring their diverse experiences to share in the classroom.  I wish you all the best in your future teaching and hope to see some of you again around the EDB.

For the people who can't make it to the last class on Aug. 8, please post two paragraphs on an ECE topic of your choice on this prompt.  Topics we may be covering in the last class, depending on interest, will be:  family literacy, working with parents, school and community, inclusion, guiding students, planning and the K-1 PLO's.

For the people who presented their items for the portfolio on Monday, July 25, please briefly describe what you shared on the prompt below (scroll down), including any links to worthwhile websites, titles of books & authors, etc.

Class on Aug. 8 will be very informal and will end early.  We will discuss any topics you would like to know more about.

For everyone, enjoy the rest of your summer!  You deserve it.

Best to all of you,
Sue

Portfolio presentations

Please post information here on the three items you shared with class. 

After Class Nine

Many thanks to the people who shared their best ideas from their portfolios in this class.  We heard a lot of great ideas for our future classes.  If you would briefly list on this prompt what you shared, the titles of books you used and especially if you have links to more information, that would be very helpful.
In this class we also discussed sections of our text.  For next class, please create two discussion questions from page 107 to the end of the book.
Lastly, we did an activity with Story Baskets.  There are many ways to use this with students: as a preliminary step to dramatic play, cooperative learning, creative writing, art, classification, and so on.
Looks like we might get some sun this weekend.  Enjoy.

After Class Eight

This week we discussed Chapters 29-31 and re-examined some of the strategies used in light of our school visits.  We listed some of the "at risk" factors for children and read an article by Harrist, "You can't say you can't play" about social exclusion in the Kindergarten classroom and methods used by Vivian Paley.  We also talked about the value of visual art and worked on some self-portraits of our own.
In the next two classes we will share three items from our portfolios, our best teaching ideas.  The write up of the portfolios will be due July 25 for everyone.
For next class on July 18, please bring your textbook, The Boy Who Would be a Helicopter.  Also, I'd like you to bring three small items that are interesting/unusual for a writing exercise we will do.
Have a great week!

After Class Seven

This week's lecture covered empowering, philosophizing and problem-solving.  We read an article on Paley's storytelling and dramatization curriculum in preparation for our next textbook, The Boy Who Would Be a Helicopter.  We had a look at the importance of using music and drama in the classroom and then we had a chance to make paper bag puppets (who performed great skits for us!)  Thanks to all the presenters.
Next week please see if you can find some old magazines to bring to class. 
**Reminder**  Research papers are due next Monday, July 11 before class.  Please e-mail me your paper unless you prefer to have a hard copy.
Enjoy the weekend!

After Class Six

This week we got into groups and created discussion questions from Chapters 19-24 and looked at two journal articles about the value of music in the ECE classroom.  This led to our activity - with the instruments that were brought in, we formed groups and performed songs that could be used with young children.  Lots of fun!
Next week we will be looking at drama in the classroom -- please bring in some felts to make paper bag puppets.
Have a great long weekend.  Happy Canada Day!

After Class Five

In today's class we discussed ideas from Chapters 14-18.  We also got into groups to talk about our school visits.  You can add more comments on your experiences or your thoughts on the collective visits of your group on this blog.  Lastly, we had a chance to examine some ECE library books and share some ideas on how they might be used in the classroom.
On this blog, I'd like you to tell our class what was your favourite children's book when you were growing up.  Give us the title and author's name.  You can also bring it next week (June 27) and show it to the class. 
For next week, please bring your textbook to class.  We will also have a focus on music, so if you have a musical instrument that you can bring in, that would be wonderful.  Think about some songs that can be used in the ECE classroom; for example, transition songs, folksongs, holiday music, movement and music, music for learning phonemic awareness, just for fun songs, etc.
Enjoy this summer weather!